Gavin Newsom Announces Prize Money For Vaccinated Californians

After poor efforts to reduce the spread of COVID in California, Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a sweepstakes for residents to receive random cash prizes if they have been vaccinated.

Now on the tail end of the pandemic, Governor Newsom is dedicating $116.5 million of the state’s budget to encourage more Californians to get the shot ahead of his proposed reopening date of June 15.  

$15 million from the $116.5 million total will be awarded as cash prizes to any person over the age of 12.

Per the state’s announcement, approximately half of all adults in California have already received a dose of the vaccine.  

Any resident of California who has received a single dose of any vaccine is eligible to receive the free cash bonuses. Non-citizens will also be eligible to win, as long as they still reside in California. 

Citizens and businesses in the Golden State have continued to amass debt, and are in the midst of a hiring crisis that has halted the economic recovery from the heavy restrictions imposed last year. Employers and critics cite the generous unemployment benefits as cause for lack of interviews and longevity in staffing.

Hailed as a hero by the media for implementing strict lockdowns in the midst of the COVID crisis, Gavin Newsom first began to draw criticism during his infamous dinner at the French Laundry in Napa Valley — a far cry from cities in California experiencing growing rates of homelessness and the rise in crime and death rates related to overdose.

At the time, restaurants in California that hosted a single customer on their property would be susceptible to health department violation fees, which for many businesses became the final nail in the coffin leading to permanently shutting their doors, if they weren't boarded up already.

The California shutdowns have led to the permanent closings of nearly half of all small businesses in the state.  

Now in the final week of May 2021, Californians are still limited with indoor gatherings in defiance of CDC recommendations. This same CDC data has fueled a successful COVID campaign for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Newsom's leadership has caused him to fall out of Californians’ favor recently, and a gubernatorial recall race this fall will determine whether he is ousted from the governor’s seat. 

By offering his people fun coupons to pay off rising grocery prices and $5+ per gallon at the pump, Newsom can still maintain some COVID lockdowns en route to a full reopening. Stay tuned ...